Process of treating tobacco.



No. 642,609. Patented Feb. 6, I900. W. D. HOBSON.

PROCESS OF TREATING TOBACCO.

(Application filed May 2, 1899.) (No Model.)

Q m H a UNITED STATES PATENT OFEIcE.

WILLIAM DANIEL HOBSON, OF SUNNY SIDE, VIRGINIA.

PROCESS OF TREATING TOBACCO.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 642,609, dated February 6, 1900.

Application filed May 2, 1899. Serial No. 715,384. (No specimens.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM DANIEL HOB- SON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sunny Side, in the county of Cumberland and 'State of Virginia, have invented a new and useful Process of Treating Tobacco, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a process oftreating tobacco subsequent to the curing thereof, and has special reference to an improved process of flavoring and aging tobacco-leaf to impart thereto a smoky quality. To meet the demands of the trade in some localities, particularly in England, or to satisfy the tastes of individual consumers, it is necessary to impart to the tobacco-leaf a slight smoky flavor,- so it is the purpose of the present invention to provide a simple, comparatively-inexpensive, and efficicnt process of imparting and fixing this flavor Without detracting from or impairing the quality of the product.

The essential feature of the process forming the subject-matter of this application consists in exposing the tobacco-leaf as a last treatment prior to its being placed in a hogshead or package for shipment to the combined and simultaneous action of smoke and steam,the latter servingto moisten and soften the leaf and at the same time permeate and open up the pores, so as to carry the smoke into the leaf and thoroughly impregnate the same, whereby the smoky flavor will become fixed and may be retained for an indefinite length of time, even when the tobacco subsequent to this treatment is exposed to the air. In carrying out the process it is equally essential that the leaf be subjected to the smoke and steam in a closed receptacle.

Inasmuch as the gist of the invention resides in subjecting the leaf to the combined and simultaneous action of smoke and steam in a closed receptacle, it will be obvious that any form of receptacle or apparatus suitable for the purpose may be utilized in carrying out the process; but for illustrative purposes a simple form of apparatus that may be used is shown in the drawing, in which the figure represents a sectional view of an inclosure, building, or shed having means for suspending the tobacco therein for being simultaneously charged with smoke and steam.

Referring particularly to the figure of the drawing, the numeral 1 designates a receptacle having an open top to facilitate the han dling of the leaf, and having arranged therein a horizontal perforate partition or false bottom 2, which separates the interior of the receptacle into an upper tobacco-receiving chamber 3 and a lower fire-box or smokechamber 4, the latter being fitted withasuitable door 5 and an ordinary draft-register G to supply the fuel with sufficient air to promote the combustion necessary for the production of smoke. The fuel which is preferably employed in apparatus of the type shownin the drawing is hickory or oak; but any suitable wood may be used in the firebox or smoke-chamber in order to produce the smoke which is to flavor the tobacco-leaf, said smoke being adapted to pass upward through the perforate partition or false bottom 2 into the upper tobacco-receiving chamber 3.

The tobacco-leaf may be supported within the chamber 3 by any suitable means, preferably by the use of hangers or strips 7, having terminal hooks 8 engaging the upper edges of the receptacle at opposite sides thereof, and in order to confine the smoke and steam which charges the tobacco-receiving chamber 3 the open top of the receptacle is closed by an arched cover 9. This arched cover may be of any suitable material and may be conveniently sustained in position by means of exterior supports or brackets 10, fitted to the receptacle. The arched cover 9 is designed to constitute a complete closure for the open upper end of the receptacle, but is so arranged in connection with its supports that it may be readily lifted to remove the leaves which have been treated and to replace the same with fresh leaves. With the cover 9 in place the smoke from the fire is held within the tobacco-receiving chamber 3, so that it v it is immaterial how the cover 9 or other parts of the apparatus are arranged and supported to secure the desired result; but in all forms of the apparatus that might be utilized it is quite necessary that the same should have no outlet through which the smoke and steam can escape during the treatment of the leaves.

Any suitable means of introducing the steam from the source of supply into the receptacle may be resorted to--such, for instance, as a steam-inlet pipe 11, fitted to one side of the receptacle to open into the tobacco-receiving chamber 3 above the plane of the partition or false bottom 2.

In treating the tobacco I first stem the leaves, then thoroughly dry the same, preferably by exposing them to the atmosphere in an open barn or other roofed in'closure, after which, in damp weather, when the tobacco is sufliciently moist to bear handling, I bulk or pack down the same and allow it to remain until the weather is favorable for prizing or treating in accordance with the essential step of the process. The leaf is then suspended by means such as described in the upper or treatment chamber 3 of the receptacle or other inclosure and subjected to the combined action of the smoke evolved from the fire in the chamber a and the steam admitted into the treatment-chamber through the steam-inlet pipe 11. The chamber 3 becomes densely charged with the smoke, and by reason of the fact that steam is admitted into said chamber at the same time the smoke will be caught up by the moist vehicle formed by the steam and conveyed to the leaves, by. which it is absorbed until thoroughly saturated and impregnated. In this connection it will be observed that the steam serves to moisten and open up the pores of the leaves, and thereby provide for carrying the smoke into the leaves, so that the latter will become completely saturated with the smoke. In short, the combined and simultaneous action of the smoke and steam is to thoroughly fix the flavor of the smoke in the leaf, whereby said flavor is retained until the tobacco is consumed, and at this point it is to be notedthat by reason of thus impregnating the leaf with smoke the latter also acts as a preservative for the tobacco.

In practice I have found that the exposure of the leaves to the combined and simultaneous action of the steam and smoke for a period of about five minutes is sufficient to impart the desired flavor to the tobacco, after which the latter should be removed from the receptacle and immediately packed in hogsheads for shipment.

A further advantage of using steam simultaneously with the smoke in treating tobacco is that there is much greater safety against fire than has heretofore been possible in carrying out the ordinary methods of smoking. This is on account of the fact that it is not necessary to use an open fire to provide for supplying the treatment-chamber with smoke, as a fire-exterior to such chamber could be employed, and also because in the possibility of fire breaking out an extra supply of steam could be immediately turned on to smother the same.

It will be understood that the process forming the subject-matter of this application is susceptible to various minor modifications in the matter of the length of time during which the leaf is exposed and other unimportant features comprehended within the scope of the appended claim.

Prior to myinvention tobacco has been cured by subjecting the same to the action of dry or moist heat with and without the presence of smoke at the period of treatment; but so far as I am aware this method of curing tobacco has been employed on the green leaves for the purpose of changing the color thereof from green to yellow. WVhile this curing of the tobacco-leaves is desirable to secure the desired yellow color, it does not attain the result sought after by my improvement, which is that of flavoring the tobacco at a period subsequent to the curing and drying thereof. According to my method of treatment the tobacco is first cured and dried in any of the usual methods known to the art, and subsequently to such step or steps of curing or drying, or both, the tobacco is then treated in the manner specified for the attainment of the desirable result of flavoring, which is much sought after in certain localities.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- The improvement in the art of treating tobacco which consists, first, in curing leaf-tobacco; secondly, drying the same; and subsequently imparting a flavor thereto by simultaneously commingling smoke and steam in a closed receptacle and subjecting the cured and dried leaf, within such receptacle, to the combined and simultaneous action of the commingled agents, whereby the steam opens the pores of the dried and cured leaf and the smoke permeates the latter, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

\VILLIAM DANIEL IIOBSON.

WVitnesses:

J. M. J EFFERIES, A. L. BROWN. 

